The annual spring tradition of a tuition increase has come and gone. The Board of Trustees met Friday and recommended an increase much closer to the inflation rate than in previous years. Continuing undergraduates will pay 4.7 percent more next year, while graduate students will pay about 4 percent more. Incoming freshmen will face a 5.9 percent hike (translating into about $300 more than continuing students). While no one likes paying more for already expensive educations, the University is aiming its higher revenues toward areas students are most concerned about. The challenge for students is to make sure the University lives up to its stated goals.
After last year’s 6.9 percent hike, a swarm of student activism ensued. Groups such as SAYIT (Students Against Yearly Increases in Tuition) were founded, and our elected student leaders promised to take a more proactive stand on this year’s increase. Student leaders played a key role in focusing students’ attention on the issues. The most visible evidence of this was the survey conducted to identify issues GW students feel deserve the most attention – technology, advising, academics, etc.
Perhaps this survey was partially responsible for the University and Board’s decision to boost money spent on technology by an added $2 million, in addition to the $5 million increase last year. The University plans to wire all residence halls by the end of 1999. In fact, the University plans to spend almost $40 million on technology by 2002. This is in response to the Middle States accreditation team’s finding that the University was not budgeting sufficient funds for technology – and students’ concerns that GW is not at the same technological level as other universities.
The University also is planning to spend $7 million more on academic programs and $1.5 million to renovate classrooms and labs. The financial aid budget will rise $2.5 million, including $2 million more for undergraduate aid.
Trustees seemed more interested in students’ concerns this year. Hopefully, a greater amount of communication between students and the Board will inform future decisions.
The University has listened to students when deciding on next year’s budget and tuition increase. The key is for students, and especially our student leaders, to continue the trend of activism, awareness and involvement. Students must make sure the University keeps the promises it has made this year. Perhaps an annual score card of promises made and kept should be created. It would be one way to hold the University accountable. Although we will be paying more money, it would be worth it if the money was going toward things that directly affect and benefit students.
